GOVERNMENT

Aggregation of multiple industry-standard servers into a single system saves up to 70 percent compared to traditional symmetric multiprocessor computers: ScaleMP, a provider of virtualization solutions for high-end computing, today announced the expansion of its product line based on the Versatile SMP (vSMP) architecture, which aggregates multiple industry-standard x86 servers into one powerful high-end system. By using virtualization to create high-end symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) computers from off-the-shelf x86 systems, the ScaleMP solution increases scalability and performance while saving as much as 70 percent compared to traditional SMPs. The ScaleMP product line includes two products: a standalone solution, which enables the industry’s first four-socket system at under $10,000, and an embedded solution that helps original design manufacturers (ODMs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) build high-end systems. ScaleMP is expanding its product line with vSMP Foundation Standalone, a solution that complements the existing, proven vSMP Foundation Embedded solution. vSMP Foundation Standalone uses two quad- or dual-core dual-socket Intel Xeon processor-based systems connected through InfiniBand to create a four-socket platform for under $10,000. vSMP Foundation Standalone provides the highest performing four-socket platform on the market today by taking advantage of Intel’s latest HPC platform based on its 45-nanometer Intel Xeon processor 5400 and 5200 series and Intel 5400 chipset, combining the memory bandwidth and size of the two systems. vSMP Foundation Standalone provides more than 70 percent price/performance advantage compared to traditional four-socket systems, in addition to 25 percent power consumption savings and 50 percent rack-space savings. “The ScaleMP technology based on commodity hardware allows users to benefit from the characteristics of SMPs such as simplicity of installation and management, as well as large memory, while leveraging the cost structure of low-end x86-systems,” said Joseph Martins, managing director of analyst firm Data Mobility Group. “ScaleMP offers a great alternative to partners, system integrators and end-users, looking for a non-proprietary option that would combine the benefits of scale-up and scale-out architectures while preserving their existing investments. There is no need to rip out and replace here, but to add on what you already have to significantly increase the performance and even save on power and floor space.” “Supermicro teamed with ScaleMP to introduce new, incredibly cost-effective four-socket platforms for end-user organizations,” said Tau Leng, GM of HPC at Super Micro Computer, Inc. “With our 1U Twin solution and vSMP Foundation Standalone from ScaleMP, customers benefit from high density, high performance, high power-efficiency and lower price points compared to traditional four-socket platforms available on the market today.” The ScaleMP also offers its vSMP Foundation Embedded, a software-only aggregation platform that delivers the most scalable x86 shared memory systems in the market. Solutions based on this platform have been on the market for 18 months, and are being used by original design manufacturers (ODMs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) interested in building high-end x86 systems without extensive R&D and proprietary hardware. It comes with a complete suite of tools to streamline the manufacturing process and support of vSMPowered systems. Once loaded into the memory of each of the system boards, vSMP Foundation aggregates the compute, memory and I/O capabilities of each system, and presents a unified virtual system to both the operating system and the applications running above the operating system. It utilizes up to sixteen x86 systems to create a single shared-memory system with 4 to 32 processors (128 cores) and up to 1 TB of RAM. Systems based on the ScaleMP’s vSMP Foundation Embedded are installed around the world in verticals such as manufacturing, energy, life sciences, and financial services. They run on Linux and are certified by major Linux providers. “For system vendors and integrators, our technology eliminates the need for extensive R&D or proprietary hardware components in developing high-end x86 systems,” said Shai Fultheim, founder and CEO of ScaleMP. “vSMP Foundation Embedded provides great potential for higher system margins while significantly reducing time-to-market for such systems. Our products are solving a real customer challenge in a market where high performance comes with a high price. Our solution reduces the initial capital expenditure normally associated with traditional SMP systems, as well as the ongoing operational costs that customers would get with clusters. vSMP Foundation Standalone provide the same values at the entry level.” “The latest Intel Xeon processor-based HPC platform with a 1600 MHz frontside bus provides significant gains in memory bandwidth that benefits a wide range of HPC workloads," said Richard Dracott, general manager, Intel High Performance Computing. "ScaleMP takes advantage of the Intel SR1560SF server system based on Intel's HPC server platform to provide increased memory capacity – 32 DIMMs supporting 128 GB – and PCI Express 2.0 technology for applications with demanding memory and I/O requirements.” Pricing and Availability The ScaleMP solutions are sold through a worldwide network of partners. The vSMP Foundation Standalone is available through VARs and system integrators at prices starting at US$2,750. vSMP Foundation Embedded is available through ODMs and OEMs at prices that vary depending on system configuration.